School closings: where to find them

It’s coming up on winter in Minnesota and school closings and delays, though something we try to avoid, can be a fact of life. On those occasions, our transportation department is watching and testing conditions closely overnight so any necessary announcements can be made well in advance of the school day, when possible.

In the event of a closing or delay, the district tries to cover the community with information like a blanket. Television, radio, telephone, Internet, newspaper, and even social networking will be used to keep families updated.

Our most effective tool is our parent notification system. We will call all district families and let them know of any changes to the school day.

We will also notify all the Twin Cities television stations, and they have become adept at getting those announcements on the air very quickly.

But TV news is often busy with statewide closings, so families can monitor local radio stations as well. The district will report to WCMP (100.9 FM, and 1350 AM), and KBEK (95.5 FM) in the event of a closing or delay.

The Internet will also be used extensively, and people can check the district website (www.northbranch.k12.mn.us) for updates. We will also notify all of the local papers to any changes in the school day and all have websites.

We will also post closings and delays at the district Facebook page there for our roughly 950 “fans.”

The district information line is (651) 674-1411, and the recording will be updated with the latest information.

Coming soon, we will be unveiling our district “app” for smart phones, and this will add one more to our arsenal of notification tools. Stay tuned for more on that in the near future.

Although circumstances don’t always allow, we do everything in our power to disseminate closings and delays as early and as widely as possible to give you an opportunity to plan. As always we appreciate your patience and understanding on those occasions when weather makes things difficult for the district.